1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an aqueous silicone emulsion which produces an elastomeric product upon irradiation with ultraviolet light and removal of the water.
2. Background Information
U.S. Pat. No. 4,052,529, issued Oct. 4, 1977, discloses compositions consisting essentially of a mixture of a triorganosiloxane-endblocked polydiorganosiloxane fluid in which from 1 to 5 percent of the organic radicals are mercaptoalkyl radicals and a methylvinylpolysiloxane which a radiation curable. U.S. Pat. No. 4,064,027, issued Dec. 20, 1977 teaches a composition which consists essentially of a siloxane consisting essentially of from 0.5 to 100 mole percent of vinyl siloxane containing units and a siloxane containing at least one silicon bonded hydrogen atom that is curable upon exposure to ultraviolet light.
A latex of crosslinked silicone is prepared in U.S. Pat. No. 4,248,751, issued Feb. 3, 1981, by emulsifying a vinyl endblocked polydiorganosiloxane and an organosilicon compound having silicon-bonded hydrogen atoms with water and a surfactant, adding platinum catalyst, and then heating the emulsion. Colloidal silica can be added to the emulsion to provide a tougher product.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,273,634, issued June 16, 1981, teaches an emulsion comprising a continuous water phase and a dispersed phase of crosslinked silicone. The silicone phase is the product of radical produced crosslinking of hydroxyl endblocked polydiorganosiloxane which was crosslinked after it had been dispersed in water.
A process for preparing microspheres of solid organopolysiloxane is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,370,160, issued Jan. 25, 1983, as dispersing a liquid organopolysiloxane composition, convertible by ultraviolet radiation to the solid state, in a fluid continuous phase which is transparent to ultraviolet radiation. The organopolysiloxane consists essentially of an organopolysiloxane having an average of at least two radicals selected from the group consisting of vinyl and butenylene and a hydrogen-containing organopolysiloxane. Exposing the dispersion to ultraviolet radiation converts the liquid organopolysiloxane to the solid state. The microspheres can be removed from the dispersion by filtration or centrifuging and dried to obtain cured microspheres.
Japanese patent application 61 228064, published Oct. 10, 1986, teaches a photo-curing silicone emulsion prepared by emulsifying a composition comprising an organopolysiloxane containing a mercaptoalkyl-containing siloxane unit and vinyl-containing siloxane unit, polyvinylalcohol emulsifier, sensitizer, and water.